Typical frame mounted accessories, particularly vehicle steps and running boards, have at least one bracket fixed directly to a frame member by fasteners passing therethrough. An example of such a mounting is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,829 issued to Holloway, et al on Mar. 16, 1993. Drilling holes in the frame member to mount a bracket sometimes requires installation equipment not readily available to many individuals wanting to install such accessories. Additionally, drilling holes in the frame member of a vehicle may void certain warranty protections offered by the manufacturer of that vehicle. Brackets configured with apertures for aligning with existing apertures in the frame member of the vehicle may allow the mounting of brackets to the frame member without drilling the frame member in some cases. However, some drilling is typically necessary if the location of the bracket on the frame member must be changed. Also, such brackets only eliminate drilling for a specific model of vehicle for which they were designed. Different brackets would be needed for each vehicle model.
Some brackets not requiring drilling of the frame member can be found. U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,093 issued to Stecker, Sr., on Apr. 12, 1977 shows a step for a vehicle supported by brackets which clamp to the frame member. Such clamping devices have the potential disadvantage of allowing the bracket to slip downward if there should be any loss of clamp load or a decrease in the coefficient of friction between the clamp and the frame member. Changes in the coefficient of friction can occur at elevated temperatures when the frame member is coated with certain anti-corrosive compounds.
Yet another bracket configuration, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,217 issued to Thomas on Jun. 3, 1975, has hook elements used in combination with a plate to engage a frame member. This particular configuration has the apparent disadvantage of requiring a unique plate size for each different vehicle frame member with which it is to be used. A different plate member would be required to establish a different distance between the hook members. An additional disadvantage of this configuration is that such hook members could only be employed with a frame member having an open back section. Such hooks would be ineffective in retaining a bracket to the frame member where the frame member is a completely closed box section.
It is desired to provide brackets for supporting frame mounted accessories, such as steps and the like, which accommodate variable fore-aft positioning and mounting of the brackets on the frame without drilling. It is also desired to provide brackets which accommodate relative fore-aft positioning of the accessory relative to the mounted bracket. It is further desired to provide brackets having a vertical or elevational adjusting means for precisely positioning the accessory relative to the vehicle body.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.